Post by laura on Jan 3, 2012 14:47:22 GMT -6
Here is the proposal from the Communications work group for our communications policy. We are going to bring it up at the GA on the 4th, so look it over so you'll be up on it when we discuss it there. Feedback is welcome!
Occupy Tulsa GA Communications Policy
Occupy Tulsa is a community open to all who are concerned about the influence of money and large corporations on our politics and society. Everyone in the greater Tulsa area is welcome to join and participate. The group is dedicated to the principle of free speech; therefore, everyone is encouraged to speak out and share their thoughts. Such individual participation is the lifeblood of our organization and is our preferred method of communication with the public. If or when individuals speak about Occupy Tulsa with any organization or individuals, we request that they clarify that they are speaking for themselves specifically and not the group as a whole. The group encourages all participants to frame their personal statements in positive and welcoming ways and disavows hatred and violence in speech or action.
When the need for the group to speak with one voice arises (as when promoting events), the following Communications Policy applies:
1. COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROUP: A work group is established to handle communications on behalf of the General Assembly (GA).
Responsibilities of the Communications work group include:
a. building and maintaining a list of contacts for distributing public statements,
b. developing public statements at the request of the GA and distributing them externally,
c. developing suggested talking points about the movement generally and the group in Tulsa specifically and distributing these to the group,
d. developing suggested talking points for scheduled events and distributing these internally, and
e. working with the GA to develop a rotating pool of six GA-approved message facilitators to serve staggered three month rotations.
2. DEVELOPMENT & DISTRIBUTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY MESSAGES: Messages issued in the name of the Occupy Tulsa GA must be approved and coordinated through the Communications work group in order to keep our statements cohesive and organized. As directed by the GA, the work group will draft statements/announcements for dissemination in written form. Once these are developed, it is up to the work group to ensure that they are distributed to the media/others as appropriate. Statements will be posted on the website and Facebook in all cases so members may view them.
3. DESIGNATION OF EVENT/MESSAGE FACILITATORS: In specific instances, the Communications team may designate one or more people to act as Event/Message Facilitators. In these cases, the Event/Message Facilitator(s) designated will be identified in the press release about the topic/event. These facilitators are not intended to replace individual speech. They serve merely to assist media contacts/the public in attendance or to present a statement by the GA. No facilitator may represent the GA for more than two events in a row, barring an emergency.
4. SELECTION OF EVENT/MESSAGE FACILITATORS: Event/Message Facilitators should be selected from the GA approved pool. The initial facilitators should be selected for staggering terms (TBD). Thereafter, facilitators should not serve more than three months before rotating out, in order to keep any individual from becoming “the face” of the organization.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EVENT/MESSAGE FACILITATORS: Event/Message Facilitators are authorized only to present statements in keeping with the policies of the GA and/or to promote events/positions adopted by the group. No one may present themselves as an Event/Message Facilitator without prior approval of the Communications work group or General Assembly. When speaking as individuals rather than facilitators, they must clarify this in their comments. Should they fail to do so, the GA is within its rights to address the matter (through censure or some other form of reprimand) and respond publicly, if necessary.
6. WORK GROUP RESPONSIBILITIES TO COMMUNICATIONS: As work groups plan events, it is their duty to bring these to the attention of the Communications team. Once notified of the details of the event, it is the Communications work group’s responsibility to prepare a public statement and develop promotional material in a timely manner.
7. MEDIA CONTACTS WITH COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROUP MEMBERS: If individual team members are contacted by the media or others seeking a quote or input for a story/policy matter, they should clarify that their statements are personal and not reflective of the group and reiterate talking points/statements already issued by the group. If asked for a statement on behalf of the group on an issue that has not already been discussed by the group or which the group does not wish to take a stand on publicly, the person should decline further comment and refer the matter to the GA or Communications work group as a whole. Ideally, we would prefer that media contacts come to the GA for a meeting and be put on the agenda for a discussion with the group. When this is not an option, the individual should then bring the matter up at the next GA for discussion and consensus from the group or to the Communications work group when a more speedy response is needed. If the GA approves a statement/response to the inquiry, this is sent to the Communications group for formulating. If such a response is issued, a different individual than the one originally contacted should be selected to present this or the statement should be issued in writing and signed by the Occupy Tulsa GA (preferred). If an individual finds that media representatives are regularly contacting them specifically and they become concerned about their visibility being too high, they are encouraged to step back and defer to other individuals. Additionally, the Communications work group will review such matters generally to address them proactively.
8. TRANSPARENCY: Copies of the approved policy are to be issued by the Communications work group to members of the media and posted online so that the policy is made known to the public and to clarify that those claiming to be spokespersons for the movement do not represent the GA.
9. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: In emergency situations only, facilitators who have represented the group recently may step forward to speak to the media and others, as time and availability contraints dictate. When possible, however, spreading these duties out among different facilitators is preferred, in order to represent the diversity of the group. Emergency situations are only those where someone claiming to represent the group issues a statement or takes an action that could cause significant harm to the group or its message and immediate intervention is necessary to distance the group from the speech/action taken (which was not approved by the group) or where police/legal action requires a speedy clarification to be made publicly. Spontaneous actions are not emergencies; in those situations, the individuals involved should speak for themselves (clarifying that), as they are not performing actions officially sponsored by the GA.
Occupy Tulsa GA Communications Policy
Occupy Tulsa is a community open to all who are concerned about the influence of money and large corporations on our politics and society. Everyone in the greater Tulsa area is welcome to join and participate. The group is dedicated to the principle of free speech; therefore, everyone is encouraged to speak out and share their thoughts. Such individual participation is the lifeblood of our organization and is our preferred method of communication with the public. If or when individuals speak about Occupy Tulsa with any organization or individuals, we request that they clarify that they are speaking for themselves specifically and not the group as a whole. The group encourages all participants to frame their personal statements in positive and welcoming ways and disavows hatred and violence in speech or action.
When the need for the group to speak with one voice arises (as when promoting events), the following Communications Policy applies:
1. COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROUP: A work group is established to handle communications on behalf of the General Assembly (GA).
Responsibilities of the Communications work group include:
a. building and maintaining a list of contacts for distributing public statements,
b. developing public statements at the request of the GA and distributing them externally,
c. developing suggested talking points about the movement generally and the group in Tulsa specifically and distributing these to the group,
d. developing suggested talking points for scheduled events and distributing these internally, and
e. working with the GA to develop a rotating pool of six GA-approved message facilitators to serve staggered three month rotations.
2. DEVELOPMENT & DISTRIBUTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY MESSAGES: Messages issued in the name of the Occupy Tulsa GA must be approved and coordinated through the Communications work group in order to keep our statements cohesive and organized. As directed by the GA, the work group will draft statements/announcements for dissemination in written form. Once these are developed, it is up to the work group to ensure that they are distributed to the media/others as appropriate. Statements will be posted on the website and Facebook in all cases so members may view them.
3. DESIGNATION OF EVENT/MESSAGE FACILITATORS: In specific instances, the Communications team may designate one or more people to act as Event/Message Facilitators. In these cases, the Event/Message Facilitator(s) designated will be identified in the press release about the topic/event. These facilitators are not intended to replace individual speech. They serve merely to assist media contacts/the public in attendance or to present a statement by the GA. No facilitator may represent the GA for more than two events in a row, barring an emergency.
4. SELECTION OF EVENT/MESSAGE FACILITATORS: Event/Message Facilitators should be selected from the GA approved pool. The initial facilitators should be selected for staggering terms (TBD). Thereafter, facilitators should not serve more than three months before rotating out, in order to keep any individual from becoming “the face” of the organization.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EVENT/MESSAGE FACILITATORS: Event/Message Facilitators are authorized only to present statements in keeping with the policies of the GA and/or to promote events/positions adopted by the group. No one may present themselves as an Event/Message Facilitator without prior approval of the Communications work group or General Assembly. When speaking as individuals rather than facilitators, they must clarify this in their comments. Should they fail to do so, the GA is within its rights to address the matter (through censure or some other form of reprimand) and respond publicly, if necessary.
6. WORK GROUP RESPONSIBILITIES TO COMMUNICATIONS: As work groups plan events, it is their duty to bring these to the attention of the Communications team. Once notified of the details of the event, it is the Communications work group’s responsibility to prepare a public statement and develop promotional material in a timely manner.
7. MEDIA CONTACTS WITH COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROUP MEMBERS: If individual team members are contacted by the media or others seeking a quote or input for a story/policy matter, they should clarify that their statements are personal and not reflective of the group and reiterate talking points/statements already issued by the group. If asked for a statement on behalf of the group on an issue that has not already been discussed by the group or which the group does not wish to take a stand on publicly, the person should decline further comment and refer the matter to the GA or Communications work group as a whole. Ideally, we would prefer that media contacts come to the GA for a meeting and be put on the agenda for a discussion with the group. When this is not an option, the individual should then bring the matter up at the next GA for discussion and consensus from the group or to the Communications work group when a more speedy response is needed. If the GA approves a statement/response to the inquiry, this is sent to the Communications group for formulating. If such a response is issued, a different individual than the one originally contacted should be selected to present this or the statement should be issued in writing and signed by the Occupy Tulsa GA (preferred). If an individual finds that media representatives are regularly contacting them specifically and they become concerned about their visibility being too high, they are encouraged to step back and defer to other individuals. Additionally, the Communications work group will review such matters generally to address them proactively.
8. TRANSPARENCY: Copies of the approved policy are to be issued by the Communications work group to members of the media and posted online so that the policy is made known to the public and to clarify that those claiming to be spokespersons for the movement do not represent the GA.
9. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: In emergency situations only, facilitators who have represented the group recently may step forward to speak to the media and others, as time and availability contraints dictate. When possible, however, spreading these duties out among different facilitators is preferred, in order to represent the diversity of the group. Emergency situations are only those where someone claiming to represent the group issues a statement or takes an action that could cause significant harm to the group or its message and immediate intervention is necessary to distance the group from the speech/action taken (which was not approved by the group) or where police/legal action requires a speedy clarification to be made publicly. Spontaneous actions are not emergencies; in those situations, the individuals involved should speak for themselves (clarifying that), as they are not performing actions officially sponsored by the GA.
